The Conversation That Changed the Tone

Emma, 28, walked into her manager’s office. She worked hard, and her clients trusted her. However, her rent had increased, and she was concerned about her finances. She asked if she could expect a raise.

Her manager, Sam, had bad news. The budget was locked. There would be no raises this year. He could have given her a vague answer or promised to “revisit it later.” Instead, he asked a different question.

“If a raise isn’t possible, what would make this job worth staying for?”